Arsenal Title Dream Faces Brighton Test

After coming behind to win 3-1 against a tricky West Ham United side on Boxing Day, South Coast is the next port of call for Arsenal to test their title dream as they face Brighton at the Amex Stadium

Premier League leaders Arsenal will endeavour to end 2022 on a high note when they travel to the Amex to face Brighton this evening.

The Gunners came from behind to beat West Ham United 3-1 on Boxing Day, while the Seagulls got the better of Southampton by the same scoreline on the South Coast.

Coach Roberto De Zerbi had warned Brighton’s latest foes to be wary of an “angry” Seagulls XI following their EFL Cup exit at the hands of League One side Charlton Athletic, but by reverting to type in the Premier League, this weekend’s hosts remain in European contention in seventh place in the table.

Nevertheless, Brighton’s defensive resilience at the Amex is well and truly alive – conceding a mere six goals in Premier League home matches during the 2022-23 season so far – and the Seagulls have established a reputation as Arsenal’s bogey team in recent years.

Thriving under the pressure of filling Gabriel Jesus’ boots, Arsenal’s number 14, Eddie Nketiah insisted that he did not want to be seen as a replacement for his stricken teammate after completing an eye-catching Gunners turnaround in their London derby with West Ham.

The Premier League leaders had work to do in the second 45 after Said Benrahma’s penalty put the Hammers a goal to the good, but Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Nketiah’s lovely swivel and finish ensured that the Gunners would pick up where they left off.

United at the summit; that gap has now been cut back down to five points following Manchester City’s success over Leeds United, but Mikel Arteta’s men are guaranteed to celebrate New Year’s Eve at the top of the table.

The naysayers will point out the fact that Arsenal still have two fixtures against Man City to come, but every other side to hit 40 points after their first 15 Premier League matches of the season has gone on to win the title, and the World Cup break does not appear to have disrupted the runaway leaders’ momentum.

Arsenal travel to the Amex having picked up 13 points from the last 15 on offer away from home – conceding a mere one goal in that hot streak – but Brighton overcame a weakened Gunners side 3-1 in the EFL Cup just last month and have only ever suffered one Premier League defeat to the capital club in front of the Amex faithful.

Meanwhile, Manchester City welcome Everton to the Etihad Stadium on New Year’s Eve in a game with very differing implications for both.

Frank Lampard’s job at Everton is arguably now the most fragile in the whole top flight.

Arsenal’s excellence means that despite a very strong start to the season, Man City find themselves five points adrift from the top.

Thirty-five points from a possible 45 is a phenomenal start, but a defeat to Brentford before the break has been very costly.

Over the course of a 38-game season though, City are still the most fancied side to finish on top.

That is largely thanks to the presence of Erling Haaland up front, who made it 20 Premier League goals for the season already in their 3-1 win over Leeds United on Wednesday, the fastest it has taken anyone to reach that milestone in a campaign.

Strength in depth is the other major factor, as manager Pep Gurdiola could afford to leave Phil Foden, Joao Cancelo, Bernado Silva and Aymeric Laporte on the bench in midweek, and still win comfortably.

They have beaten Everton in all of their last 10 meetings, but the last meeting at Goodison in February proved very controversial when City took all three points despite avoiding a very clear penalty being given against them following a handball by Rodri.

Four straight losses in all competitions for Everton, all against sides in around the relegation zone, have left Lampard on the brink at Goodison Park.

On their competitive return, bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers compiled the misery by coming to Merseyside and leaving with three points thanks to a 95th-minute winner from Rayan Ait-Nouri.

They are not yet in the relegation zone, but a defeat here and the continuation of some amateurish defending in their recent matches will leave them very susceptible, with the three sides below them all within reach.

Next week’s fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion is expected to be the make or break for Lampard given that there has been an acceptance they will probably lose at the Etihad in this one.

However, if they do lose here, they must make sure the scoreline does not get ugly and play with the desire of a side that looks prepared for a relegation battle, which Lampard admitted they are now in following the defeat to Wolves.